Nocturnal 
Rafael Márquez took charge of Mexico for the first time on Saturday, and he picked one of South America’s biggest names to do it against: Colombia, in an international friendly at the M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.
The ground, which holds around 72,700 fans, played host to the opening chapter of two very different rebuilding jobs. Márquez, the former Barcelona and Mexico captain, stepped into the dugout for his managerial debut, while Colombia’s Néstor Lorenzo used the game to start shaping a squad for a new World Cup cycle.
Colombia move on from James Rodríguez and Luis Díaz
Lorenzo’s 26-man squad notably left out two of Colombia’s most recognisable players in recent years, James Rodríguez and Luis Díaz, according to Peruvian outlet Gestión. It’s a clear signal that the Colombian federation is looking to blend in fresh faces after the side reached the last 16 at the previous World Cup.
Reported line-ups for Colombia varied slightly between outlets, but the spine of the team included Dávinson Sánchez, Jhon Lucumí and Daniel Muñoz in defence, Richard Ríos and Jhon Arias in midfield, and Luis Suárez leading the line, with 14 uncapped or fringe players also included in the wider squad, according to La FM.
Colombian outlets also reported that the match began with a minute’s silence in memory of victims of an earthquake in Colombia, according to Semana, underlining the sombre note the fixture struck before kick-off.
Márquez begins with a big test
For Mexico, Saturday marked the start of life without predecessor management, with Márquez naming a 30-man squad that included a significant shake-up of personnel, per Gestión. Reported starting options included goalkeeper Raúl Rangel, defenders Jorge Sánchez and Johan Vásquez, and forwards Hirving Lozano and Roberto Alvarado, though exact line-ups differed slightly across Mexican and Colombian coverage of the game.
Facing Colombia straight out of the gate is no soft landing for a first-time head coach. Colombia’s mix of World Cup experience and hungry newcomers made them one of the tougher opponents Márquez could have been handed for his opening game in charge.
Where things stand now
Coverage of the match focused heavily on how to watch it, with Colombian broadcaster RCN and Mexican channel TV Azteca (via TUDN) both carrying the game, while RPP Noticias reported Disney+ Premium also streamed the fixture. That mix of broadcasters reflects how big an audience the match drew across Latin America.
The Baltimore friendly was the first of three matches Colombia are playing on their tour of the United States, meaning Lorenzo will get further chances to experiment before his side’s next major assignment. For Márquez, Saturday’s game was simply the first entry in what promises to be a closely watched tenure in charge of El Tri.
Full-time score and match report were not confirmed in the reports reviewed for this piece.
